Early learning and childcare

Early learning and childcare settings offer education and childcare to children up to school age, they can be operated by the council, private businesses, voluntary organisations, or childminders.

Eligible 2 year olds and all 3 and 4 year olds may apply to have up to 1140 hours of funded Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) a year. 1140 hours is roughly the same amount of time as primary school hours when the hours are taken over term time.

You do not have to pay for funded Early Learning and Childcare, but you may wish to purchase additional hours at providers that offer this service.

ELC makes a big difference to children and boosts what they learn at home.

Benefits for children:

• improves language and social skills
• encourages your child to learn and play with other children
• helps them in their learning journey with benefits that they take forward into school
• provides a wide range of experience to excite and interest them
• encourages your child to be physically active whilst playing with other children
• lets your child lead their own learning and go at their own pace

Benefits for parents:

• gives parents the time to train, study or work
• provides time during the day to get other things done
• offers parents extra time to look for work or increase their working hours
• can give you ideas for fun learning experiences to try at home
• helps to support your child's learning and development at home
• is perfect for meeting other parents and sharing ideas

Your entitlement

In Dumfries and Galloway children can access up to 1140 hours per year depending on your child's start date. You will be able to access funded Early Learning and Childcare at a provider of your choice depending on availability.

The way that services will operate currently cannot be the same in every setting due to the variety of different buildings and outdoor spaces that our nurseries and childcare settings operate out of. Services must take account of the national guidance and they have put plans in place for children to attend Early Learning and Childcare safely.

You can take the hours over term time (38 weeks per year), or all year round. The maximum hours available in most school nurseries per week is 30 hours.

• Children can access no more than 10 funded hours in any one day.
• All children accessing funded hours over lunch time may receive a free meal.

Most children start school between 4 years 6 months and 5 years old but it's possible to start children later in certain circumstances. These children may be entitled to an extra year of funded early learning and childcare.

•  Find out more about starting school later

Registration

In January each year we will write to families detailing the process for registering their 3 year old for a nursery place.  Please read over our Funded Early Learning and Childcare Privacy Notice. If you have missed registration or have just moved to the area, please contact your preferred Early Learning and Childcare Provider regarding registering your child. 

If you are registering with a provider for ELC and not purchasing any additional hours, you should not be asked to make any up-front payments, including a deposit or any other payments in respect of the Funded ELC hours. No top up fees should be charged. Any additional charges related to Funded ELC hours should be optional and limited to, for example, costs of outings or extra-curricular activities.

As part of your Funded ELC offer your child will be entitled to one free meal and snack each day. If you are using two providers in any one day, you must let the providers know where your child is taking their one free meal/snack. You may be charged for any additional meals/snacks.

Choosing a provider

You can send your child to the provider of your choice. You can find the list of providers below.

You're welcome to arrange visits to providers to find out what is on offer before making your choice (The current situation may not allow this).

Search childcare provider inspection reports

Blended placements

If you require a blended placement, please speak to your providers directly.

Further information

You can find out more through our Early Learning and Childcare Expansion Plan which takes account of the National guidance and is underpinned by the principles of quality, flexibility, accessibility, and affordability.

The plan sets out the local context and outlines how 1140 hours of nursery provision will be delivered within Dumfries and Galloway once this becomes a statutory duty.  

• View the Plan [PDF - 653.91KB]

You can also email EarlyYearsSupport@dumgal.gov.uk to find out more.

Paying for additional hours

You may wish to pay for additional hours over and above your funded entitlements if they are available.

You may qualify for support with childcare costs in certain circumstances:

• Read Scottish Government guidance on the help that's available with childcare costs
• Use the GOV.UK calculator to get an idea of the help you could get with childcare costs
• Find out more about the Tax-Free Childcare Scheme

Scottish Child Payment

This new benefit will open on Monday 15 February 2021. It's a payment for families on certain benefits or tax credits. 

Eligible families will get £40 every four weeks for each child under six. 

Find out more at mygov website or call us on 0800 182 2222.

Best Start Grant

Best Start Grants is a Scottish Government scheme which awards 3 cash payments to parents and carers.  You can apply if:

• you are a parent or carer
• if you have a child who is the right age for a payment
• if you're in work or not but as long as you are on certain payments or tax credits

You can find out more and apply through the mygov.scot website

Apply online

Scottish Milk and Healthy Snack Scheme

The last day of the UK Nursery Milk Scheme in Scotland was the 31 July 2021 and has been replaced with the Scottish Milk and Healthy Snack Scheme. 

Purpose of the Scheme

The Scottish Government's ambition is to ensure that as many children as possible attending eligible settings are in receipt of the milk and healthy snack policy, embedding the habit of regular consumption of high-quality dairy produce and fruit and vegetables from an early age. The purpose of the Scheme is to support  improvement in  children's health in the earliest years, which is crucial in tackling health inequalities.

Eligibility for the Scheme

Childcare settings which are registered with the Care Inspectorate and which provide care to eligible children  (babies to children not yet attending primary school) for 2 hours or more per day are eligible to apply to join the Scheme.   This includes all children not just funded children.

Benefit

Under the Scheme, an eligible child (babies to children not yet attending primary school) who is attending childcare for more than 2 hours per day should receive once in the day, the following benefit:     

• 189 mls of first infant formula  for children under 12 months
• 189mls (1/3 pint)  - or a 200ml container- of plain fresh cow's milk (whole milk for children 1 year and over, including the option of semi-skimmed milk for children 2 years and over) ;
•  or, where children cannot consume cow's milk for medical, ethical or religious reasons,  plain fresh goat or sheep milk (whole milk for children 1 year and over or to include semi- skimmed milk for children 2 years),   
• or where children cannot consume cow's milk, goat's milk and sheep's milk for medical, ethical or religious reasons a specified unsweetened calcium-enriched non-dairy alternative;
• AND a healthy snack portion ( fruit or vegetables) per child per day.

Childcare providers should offer cow's milk to children except where children may not drink this for medical, ethical or religious reasons. In these instances, settings should offer a sheep or goats milk, or where those are not acceptable, a specified, unsweetened non-dairy alternative may be offered (details on specification will be included in the guidance). First infant formula can be provided for children up to the age of 12 months.

Where a child attends two or more providers in one day, the intention is that they should have provision under the Scheme only once in the 24 hour period.  It is the expectation that the first setting in which child spends 2 hours will provide the milk and healthy snack unless agreed otherwise. Providers and families may wish to agree where it is most appropriate for the SHMSS provision to be given, in line with the approach taken to agreeing meal provision. If a child has already received SHMSS by the time they attend your setting you are not required to provide this again.

Funding

Funding for the Scheme will be provided via the local authority which will confirm the payment arrangements.  Funding provided via the Scheme must be used for the specified benefit only.  Families should not be charged for a benefit which has been funded via the Scheme.

A childcare provider that is no longer entitled to a payment under the Scheme due to a change in circumstances must inform the Local Authority (acting on behalf of Scottish Ministers) of that change as soon as reasonably practicable.

Guidance

Registered childcare providers must have regard to any guidance issued by the Scottish Ministers with respect to the operation of the Scheme. Please read the full information on the scheme using the link below: This will be updated as more information becomes available.

Maternal and child health: Milk and Healthy Snack Scheme - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Provision of information

Registered childcare providers must provide specified information as requested by the Local Authority in relation to the Scheme. Information that may be required is listed within the regulations.

How to apply

Please complete the link below to apply for this scheme if you are a registered Day Care of Children's Services Provider and offer care for more than 2 hours in a day.

SMHSS Return

If you have any queries, please email EarlyYearsSupport@dumgal.gov.uk.  We will collate these into a Q and A sheet and issue to all providers.

Find a provider

We have published a list of council nurseries, other settings and childminders who are registered to provide the funded provision in Dumfries and Galloway. This provider list will be updated regularly.

Annandale and Eskdale

• Council nurseries in Annandale and Eskdale
• Other funded settings in Annadale and Eskdale
• Childminders in Annandale and Eskdale

Nithsdale

• Council nurseries in Nithsdale
• Other funded settings in Nithsdale
• Childminders in Nithsdale

Stewartry

• Council nurseries in the Stewartry
• Other funded settings in the Stewartry
• Childminders in the Stewartry

Wigtownshire

• Council nurseries in Wigtownshire
• Other funded settings in Wigtownshire
• Childminders in Wigtownshire

Annandale and Eskdale

Council nurseries in Annandale and Eskdale

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Other funded settings in Annandale and Eskdale

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Childminders in Annandale and Eskdale

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Nithsdale

Council nurseries in Nithsdale

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Other funded settings in Nithsdale

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Childminders in Nithsdale

Stewartry

Council nurseries in the Stewartry

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Other funded settings in the Stewartry

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Childminders in the Stewartry

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Wigtownshire

Council nurseries in Wigtownshire

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Other funded settings in Wigtownshire

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Childminders in Wigtownshire